Brush-footed butterfly
From Freepedia
| Nymphalidae | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Image:Redadmiral08.JPG Red Admiral | ||||||||||||||||||
| Scientific classification | ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| Type species | ||||||||||||||||||
| Nymphalis polychloros (Large Tortoiseshell) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Diversity | ||||||||||||||||||
| 633 genera 5,698 species | ||||||||||||||||||
| Subfamilies | ||||||||||||||||||
The Nymphalidae is a family of about 5,000 species of butterflies.
These are typically fairly large butterfies, such as the emperor, admirals, tortoiseshells and fritillaries, which have very colourful upperparts. However, the underwings are dull and often look like dead leaves, which helps to conceal stationary or hibernating insects.
The front two legs are small, so these butterflies are effectively four-legged. The caterpillars are hairy or spiky, and the chrysalids have shiny spots.
Several species are attracted to Buddleia, the butterfly plant.
Species include:
- Archdukes, genus Lexias
- Comma, Polygonia c-album
- Crimson Patch, Chlosyne janais
- Gatekeeper Butterfly, Pyronia tithonus
- Gulf Fritillary, Argyronome laodice
- Lorquin's Admiral, Limenitis lorquini
- Malachite, Siproeta stelenes
- Sara Longwing, Heliconius sara
- Meadow Brown, Maniolis jurtina
- Mourning cloak, Nymphalis antiopa
- Monarch butterfly, Danaus plexipus
- Morpho
- Blue Morpho, Morpho menelaus
- Sunset Morpho, Morpho hecuba
- Painted Lady, Vanessa cardui
- Peacock, Inachis io
- Red Admiral, Vanessa atalanta
- Silver-washed Fritillary, Argynnis paphia
- Niobe Fritillary, Argynnis niobe
- Small Heath, Coenonympha pamphilus
- California tortoiseshell, Nymphalis californica
- Small Tortoiseshell, Nymphalis urticae
- Speckled Wood, Pararge aegeria
The classification shown here follows most modern taxonomists in relegating the following well known butterfly families to the status of subfamilies of the Nymphalidae:
- the Satyridae or Browns
- the Danaidae or Milkweed butterfly
- the Heliconiidae, colourful tropical butterflies noted for polymorphic Batesian mimicry
- the Libytheidae, or snout butterflies
External links
- Nymphalidae thumbnail images and species list, Butterflies of North America web site, United States Geological Survey Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center.
- "Nymphalidae", Nymphalidae Systematics Group, Stockholm University.
- "Family Nymphalidae", Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility (2003).
- Peter Chew, "Danaids and Browns - Family Nymphalidae", Brisbane butterflies web site (2005).
